Highest-paying jobs in Bloomington that don't require a college degree

Gen Z has figured out that college isn't the only way to land a high-paying job. According to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 2 in 5 (38.6%) of recent high school graduates opted out of college in 2023, up from 33.8% in 2019.

This shift comes at a good time for high school grads, as companies face labor shortages for many jobs that don't require a college degree. Baby boomers retiring and a trend to reopen factories in the United States have both driven demand for young talent. A July 2024 Intelligent report found that 1 in 3 companies have already dropped bachelor's degree requirements across entry-level, mid-tier, and even senior positions to attract more employees.

The need for skilled workers, regardless of educational attainment, means better pay. Median wages for those with a high school degree are at their highest since 1990, according to the New York Federal Reserve.

At $40,000 on average, these wages are still $20,000 lower than those of a college grad. Yet nearly 1 in 5 workers who opt out of college earn more than employees with bachelor's degrees. Two million high school grads across the U.S. make six-figure annual salaries—without the financial burden of attending a four-year university. As of 2025, the average annual cost of college is more than $38,200 per student, and the average college graduate has more than $39,000 in student debt. It's little wonder that, according to a May 2024 survey from Pew Research, 29% of Americans think attending college is not worthwhile.

However, not every career field pays high school grads equally well, and understanding what the good jobs are is the first step to landing one. Stacker ranked the 50 highest-paying jobs that don't require a college degree in Bloomington using annual compensation data from the BLS. The analysis included jobs that listed a high school diploma, a postsecondary nondegree award, or had no formal education requirements for entry-level positions. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

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Vasin Lee // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Residential advisors

- Median annual wage: $49,420
- Median hourly wage: $23.76
- Total employment: 60 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Undrey // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Data entry keyers

- Median annual wage: $50,170
- Median hourly wage: $24.12
- Total employment: 220 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $50,270
- Median hourly wage: $24.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Noin90650 // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers

- Median annual wage: $50,340
- Median hourly wage: $24.20
- Total employment: 130 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

- Median annual wage: $50,350
- Median hourly wage: $24.21
- Total employment: 50 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Painters, construction and maintenance

- Median annual wage: $50,730
- Median hourly wage: $24.39
- Total employment: 90 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. First-line supervisors of personal service workers

- Median annual wage: $50,850
- Median hourly wage: $24.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $50,990
- Median hourly wage: $24.52
- Total employment: 70 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#41. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel (tie)

- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 310 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Bigflick // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $52,330
- Median hourly wage: $25.16
- Total employment: 70 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $52,670
- Median hourly wage: $25.32
- Total employment: 60 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

brizmaker // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $53,410
- Median hourly wage: $25.68
- Total employment: 80 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $55,870
- Median hourly wage: $26.86
- Total employment: 540 people (7.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,510
- Median hourly wage: $27.17
- Total employment: 100 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $57,220
- Median hourly wage: $27.51
- Total employment: 620 people (8.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $57,320
- Median hourly wage: $27.56
- Total employment: 60 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

- Median annual wage: $58,710
- Median hourly wage: $28.23
- Total employment: 370 people (5.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Property, real estate, and community association managers

- Median annual wage: $58,760
- Median hourly wage: $28.25
- Total employment: 160 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $58,830
- Median hourly wage: $28.28
- Total employment: 180 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $59,840
- Median hourly wage: $28.77
- Total employment: 250 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $59,860
- Median hourly wage: $28.78
- Total employment: 60 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $60,110
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 220 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $60,220
- Median hourly wage: $28.95
- Total employment: 610 people (8.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $60,550
- Median hourly wage: $29.11
- Total employment: 200 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

- Median annual wage: $60,560
- Median hourly wage: $29.12
- Total employment: 180 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,700
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 110 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $61,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.42
- Total employment: 290 people (3.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $61,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 250 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

- Median annual wage: $61,860
- Median hourly wage: $29.74
- Total employment: 410 people (5.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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rlat // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 30 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#18. Telecommunications line installers and repairers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Cement masons and concrete finishers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $62,750
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 140 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 60 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SatawatK // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $63,030
- Median hourly wage: $30.30
- Total employment: 70 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $63,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 60 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $64,160
- Median hourly wage: $30.85
- Total employment: 60 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $64,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.93
- Total employment: 230 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $64,890
- Median hourly wage: $31.20
- Total employment: 180 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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4 PM production // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

- Median annual wage: $66,930
- Median hourly wage: $32.18
- Total employment: 250 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $69,710
- Median hourly wage: $33.52
- Total employment: 250 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

- Median annual wage: $72,010
- Median hourly wage: $34.62
- Total employment: 40 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $74,270
- Median hourly wage: $35.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $74,330
- Median hourly wage: $35.74
- Total employment: 70 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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sculpies // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

- Median annual wage: $78,720
- Median hourly wage: $37.85
- Total employment: 260 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

- Median annual wage: $79,520
- Median hourly wage: $38.23
- Total employment: 530 people (7.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $79,620
- Median hourly wage: $38.28
- Total employment: 50 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $83,270
- Median hourly wage: $40.03
- Total employment: 320 people (4.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)